(1) Compensation for permanent impairment is payable under this section to an eligible person if:
(a) the injury suffered in, or as a result of, the motor accident results in a permanent impairment; and
(b) the extent of the impairment, as assessed by the Commission, is at least 5%.
(1A) The amount of the compensation is, subject to subsection (2), the assessed percentage of the prescribed amount.
(2) Where the percentage of permanent impairment of a person is assessed by the Commission as a percentage of 5% or more but less than 15% as shown in Column 1 of the following Table, the percentage of the prescribed amount payable as compensation shall be that shown in Column 2 of the Table opposite to the relevant percentage in Column 1:
TABLE
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
---|---|
Degree of impairment |
Percentage of prescribed amount payable |
not less than 5% |
2 |
10% |
3 |
11% |
4 |
12% |
6 |
13% |
8 |
14% |
12 |
(3) In this section prescribed amount , in relation to a payment, means 208 times average weekly earnings at the time the payment is made.
(4) After compensation based on an assessment of the extent of a permanent impairment has been paid, no further right to compensation under this section arises even though the extent of the impairment later increases.
(5) Compensation for a permanent impairment may only be paid under this section to, or for the benefit of, a person who is, at the time of the payment, in Australia.